Rotary measure.



Patentedy May I3, |902.

J. F. STECKENBEITER.

ROTARY MEASURE.

(Application led May 8, 1901.)

(No Model.)

fw e a mi mams PETERS co.. PHoTuLn'No.. WASHINGTON, c c.

Umain STATES ArnNT OFFICE.

JOI-IN F. STECKENREITER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY IVI EASU RE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,855, dated May 13,1902.

Application tiled May 8, 1901. Serial No. 59,220. KNO mOdGL) To ir/ZZwhom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. STEOKENREI- TER, of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rotary Measuring Devices; Vand I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this speciication.

This invention relates to an improved rotary measuring device which formany purposes can do the work of a straight rule or tape to betteradvantage than either of said devices, and is especially designed formeasuring curved lines and surfaces, such as scrollwork or other bent orcurved Work as found in iron and bridge Work, and inside or outsidesurfaces of cylindric or circular bodies or other measurements ofsimilar surfaces and may be used also for checking curved lines ondrawings to determine if they agree with calculations or for measuringthe necessary curved lines on drawings and avoiding calculationsaltogether or for estimating purposes.

The object of the invention is to produce a device of this characterwhich is simple in construction, positive in action, and accurate inregard to measurement and one which may, if desired, be convenientlyused as a pocket instrument.

The device herein illustrated, in which my improvements are shown asembodied, consists of a suitable casing provided on its front face witha dial, a measuring-wheel mounted in such casing and connected with apointer which cooperates with such dial, so as to move said pointer onestep or point for each rotation of the measuring-Wheel, whereby suchpointer will record the number of rotations of the measuring-wheel. Themeaswuring-Wheel is also graduated, so that after a measurement has beenmade the number of feet or inches over which the wheel has traveled willbe indicated by the pointer plus the number of inches of a partialrotation of the measuring-wheel which has not yet been recorded by thepointer.

Theinventiou consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a measuring deviceembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the frontpart of the casing and parts of the operative mechanism removed and themeasuring-wheel partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a similar viewjshowing thefront part of .the casing removed and the operative mechanism in placetherein. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the indirect line 4 4. ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5 5 oi" Fig. l.

As shown in said drawings, A designates a generally circular casing madeof two separable parts joined at their edges in any suitable manner andshown as provided at its upper parts with a handle A. Such casingcontains the recording mechanism, and the front plate of the casing isgraduated to form a dial, which is marked, as herein shown,

to indicate feet and half-feet.

B designates a circular measuring-wheel, which is rotatively mounted ona short shaft a, attached to a projection a at the lower part of thecasing. Said measuring-wheel end projects partially into such casingand, as herein shown, has a peripheral length of six inches, but may beof greater or less diameter and may be graduated to any required systemof measurement.

C designates a rotary pointer which is mounted on a rotative shaft c,which has bearing in the walls of the casing. Saidpointer desirablyrotates in a depressed `part of the front plate of the casing, so as notto project therefrom.

D designates a toothed wheel mounted rigidly on the shaft c within thecasing. measuring-Wheel B is provided adjacent to its periphery with anactuating-pin b, which passes through the wheel and projects from bothsides thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and which is adapted tostrike one of the teeth of the Wheel D at each rotation of themeasuring-wheel, so as to rotate or turn such wheel D of the shaft c andpointer C one step or space on the dial for each rotation of themeasuring-wheel Il. The periphery of the casing A is provided with slotsa4, so located TheV as to permit said pin to pass into and out of thecasing upon the rotation of the measuring-wheel. Means are provided forlocking said toothed wheel and the pointer connected therewith after thesame has been actuated one step by the measuringwheel and which lockingmeans are released by a part on the measuring-wheel preparatory toactuating the pointer. Said means consistin this instance in thefollowing devices.

E designates a vertically-reciprocating pl unger sliding in bearing-lugse, connected with the rear plate of the casing A. Said plunger islocated between the toothed wheel D and the rear plate of the casing andis parallel with said wheel, and the measuring-wheel B projects into thecasing between the toothed wheel and the plunger. Said plungerisprovided with a detent e', adapted to fall into one of the spacesbetween two adjacent teeth 'of the wheel D when said plunger is initslowermost position.

az'designates a stop connected with the back plate of thecasing, whichengages the detenttooth and limits the downward movement of has the formof a leaf-spring, attached at its y upper end to a lug von thecasing-wall and arranged to exert a downward pressure on said arm.Inorder to decrease the friction Vbetween the plunger E and arm E in thecasing, said plunger and arm engage narrow contact-strips 0,5 on theback plate of the casing The arm E of said plunger is located 'at the'lower edge of said toothed wheel, and the curved part e2 of the' arm isso located fwith .respect tothe teeth at the lower part of the wheelthat said part of the arm is engaged b y one end of the actuating-pin bon the measuring-wheel B slightly before the other end dof' said pin.engagesy one tooth of the wheel. Thev measuring-wheel B rotates in thedirectionrindica'ted by t-he arrowin Fig. 1*, and the lpointerV rotatesin the direction indicated by the arrow on' the casing in said Fig. 1.'It will kbe seen, therefore, that when 'the measuringfwheel is rotatedvto bring the -pin b-thereof into engagement with the curved v part of.the arm E' of the plunger said pin raises said arm and plunger againstaction' of ,the spring-and lifts the detent-toothge above the uppertooth of said toothed wheel. The piu b thereafter comes in contactwithone of the lower teeth of said wheel D and rotates A said wheel-and thepointer one, step. After s aidwheel hasbeen rotated onestop the pinpasses off the curved partlof the arm of the fplunger and the spring Freturns said plunger and the detent e thereof to the lower-most positionand locks the wheelD and the pointer from further rotation. The pin b,extending through the wheel B, constitutes, in effect, two projections,one on each side of the wheel, and said projections may be otherwiseformed. This operation is continued as many times as it is required tocompletely rotate the wheel B for measuring the distance required. Thisconstruction insures that the pointer will be stopped on one of thegraduated points on the dial and will not be accidentally displaced.

It is always desirable to start the pointer at zero in beginning ameasurement. As said pointer may stop at any place on the dial at theend of the different measurements, it is desirable to provide means forreadily turning said pointer back to zero before beginn ing the nextmeasurement. Means are herein shown for this purpose, consisting of alever G, which'is pivoted between its ends to a stud a6 on the backplate of the casing and is provided at its inner end with a bent portionwhich engages the under surface of a laterally-projecting pin or lug e3on the plunger E. The other end of said lever is provided with afinger-piece g, which projects through the slot of the rear casing-wall,by which the lever may be manipulated. Desirably said lever is providedinside the casing with an extension g, projecting above and below'thesame and made sufficiently long to cover said slot in the differentpositions of the lever, so as to prevent ingress of dust through saidslot. The lever is held in its normal position, with the inner endthereof slightly out ofengagement with the lug or pin e3 of the plunger,by means of a leaf-spring H,attached rigidly to the 4rear casing-plateand bearing against the lower end of the extension g at the outer end ofsaid lever, said extension be ing bent outwardly to form a bearing forsaid spring. With this construction when it is desired to return thepointers to zero the outer end of the lever G is pressed downwardly,which raises the plunger E and the detenttooth e, carried thereby. Whenthe parts are in this position, the toothed wheel is free to rotate ineither direction, so that said pointer may be freely turned to zero. Themeasuring-wheel B should also be started at zero. The lower end of theplunger is so arranged with respect tothe circular path of travel of thepin b that when the direction of rotation of said wheel is reversed thepin strikes the lower end of said plunger on the sideopposite to the armE and arrests the motion of the wheel. The arm which bears against thestop 0.3 takes the stress exerted through the pin b at this time andacts in the manner of a strut t'o prevent bending of the plunger E. Thezero-point on the measuringwheel B is so disposed as to occupy the lowerpart of the wheel when the pin b is thus engaged with the plunger E, andin order to return said wheel to the zero-point it is only necessary t oslide the wheel gently along the IOO IIO

surface to be measured, so as to reverse the rotation of the Wheel andbring the stop h against the plunger.

The device shown is useful for measuring parts on engineers andarchitects drawings for the purpose of estimating lengths and quantitiesof material. For this purpose it may be desirable to make the peripherallength of the measuring-Wheel but three inches instead of six inches,and the other parts of the device may in this case he so proportioned asto adapt the instrument to be carried in the vest-pocket. In taking offmeasurements from drawings it is not necessary to make a note of eachitem and thereafter foot the several items, as the totals of theaccumulated measurements are recorded on the dial, and it is onlynecessary to take note of the several complete and partial rotations ofthe pointer.

While I have shown a practical form or embodiment of my improvements, Ido not Wish to he limited thereto except as may be made the subject ofspecific claims, as it is obvious that some of the details may be variedwithout departing from the spirit of myinvention and that certain of theparts may be otherwise adapted for Work.

I claim as my invention- 1. A measuring device comprising a frame orcasing, a rotary, graduated measuringwheel journaled in the casing and'projecting therefrom for contact with the article to be measured, a dialon the casing, a pointer, eccentric to said measuring-Wheel, cooperatingwith said dial and capable of a step-by-step movement, means for lockingsaid pointer from movement in either direction after each step of itsmovement and means on the measuring-Wheel for first effecting therelease of said locking means and thereafter moving said pointer onestep.

2. A measuring device comprising a frame or casing, a rotary, graduatedmeasuringwheel journaled in the casing and projecting therefrom forcontaetwith the article to be` measured, a dial on the casing, apointer, eccentric to said measuring-Wheel, cooperating with said dialand capable of a step-by-step movement, means for locking said pointerfrom movement in either direction after each step of its movement, meanson the measuring-Wheel for first effecting the release of said lockingmeans and thereafter moving said pointer one step and means independentof the measuring-Wheel for releasing said locking means to permit thepointer to be returned to zero.

3. A rotary measuring device comprising a frame or casing, a toothedWheel journaled therein, a dial on the casing, a pointer coperating Withthe dial and rotating with said toothed wheel, a graduatedmeasuring-Wheel journaled in the casing eccentrically` to said toothedWheel and projecting from the casing for contact with the 4article to bemeasured, means for locking the toothed Wheel from rotation and means onthe measuring-Wheel for first releasing the locking means and thereafterturning the toothed Wheel one step, said locking means locking thetoothed Wheel from rotation in eitherdirection after each step of itsmovement.

4. A rotary measuring device comprising a frame or casing, a toothedWheel journaled therein, a dial on the casing, a pointer coperating withthe dial and rotating With said toothed wheel, a graduatedmeasuring-wheel journaled in the casing eccentrically to said toothedwheel and projecting from the casing for contact with the article to bemeasured, means for locking the toothed Wheel from rotation, means onthe measuring-wheel for rst releasing the locking means and thereafterturning the toothed Wheel one step, said locking means locking thetoothed Wheel from r0- tation in either direction after each step of itsmovement, and means independent of the measuring-Wheel for releasingsaid locking means and permitting the pointer to return to Zero.

5. A measuring device comprising a frame or casing, a rotary, graduatedmeasuring- Wheel, journaled in said casing and projecting therefrom forcontact with the article to be measured, a dial on the casing, a pointercoperating with said dial and capable of a step-by-step movement, meansfor locking said pointer from movement in eitherdirection after eachstep of its movement, means on the measuring-Wheel for first releasingsaid locking means and thereafter moving said pointer one step, saidmeasuring-Wheel being free to return to zero, and means independent ofthe measuring-Wheel for releasing the pointer-locking means to permitsaid pointer to be returned to zero. l

6. Arotary measuring device, comprisinga casing, a toothed Wheeljournaled therein, a dial on the casing, a pointer connected with thewheel and coperating with the dial, a reciprocating plunger in thecasing provided with a detent adapted to interlock with the teeth ofsaid Wheel, a rotary measuring-wheel journaled in the casing andprojecting thereinto between said toothed Wheel and plunger and adaptedto engage said plunger to release the detent from said toothed wheel andthereafter turn said Wheel.

7. A rotary measuring device, comprisinga casing, a toothed Wheeljournaled therein, a dial on the casing, a pointer connected with theWheel and coperating with the dial, a reciprocating plunger in thecasing provided with a detent adapted to interlock with the teeth ofsaid wheel, a rotary measuring-wheel j ournaled in the casing andprojecting thereinto between said toothed wheel and plunger and adaptedto engage said plunger to release the detent from said toothed Wheel,and thereafter turn said Wheel and means for restoring the locking meansafter said toothed Wheel has been turned one step.

8. A rotary measuring device, comprising a IOO IIO

casing, a toothed Wheel journaled therein, a

dial on the casing, a pointer connected with I into between said toothedWheel and plunger,

and'projecting parts on said measuring-Wheel adapted to engage saidplunger to release the detent from said toothed Wheel and thereafter.

turn said wheel one step, and a spring-pressed lever pivoted in thecasin g having an exposed linger-piece at one end and adapted to engageat its other end a projection on the plunger to release the detentthereof from' the toothed wheel.

9. A rotary measuring device comprising a casing, a toothed Wheeljournaled therein, a dial on the casing, a pointer connected with thetoothed Wheel and cooperating with the dial, a reciprocating plunger insaid casing at one side of the toothed wheel provided at its upper endWith a detent adapted to engage the teeth of said toothed Wheel and atits lower end with a laterally-directed arm, a rotary measuring-wheeljournaled in the casing and projecting thereinto between the plunger andtoothed Wheel, and projecting parts on said measuring-wheel adapted toengage a projecting part on"the arm to release the detent thereof fromthe teeth of the toothed Wheel and to thereafter engage one projectingthereinto between the plunger and toothed wheel, and projecting parts onsaid measuring-wheel adapted to engage a projecting part of the arm torelease the detent from the teeth of the wheel and to thereafter engageone of the teeth of said wheel to rotate the latter one step, saidplunger being located in the path of the projection on themeasuring-Wheel to limit the reverse movement of the measuring-wheel,and a stop in the casing adapted to receive thethrust of the arm of saidplunger When the projection on the measuring-wheel is brought intoengagement with the plunger in the reverse movement of saidmeasuring-Wheel.

1l. A rotary measuring device, comprising a casing, a toothed Wheeljournaled therein, a dial on the casing, a pointer connected with thetoothed wheel and cooperating with the dial, a reciprocating plunger insaid casing at one side of the toothed Wheel provided at one end with adetent adapted to engage the teeth of said toothed Wheel and at itsother end with a-laterally-directed arm, a rotary measuring-Wheeljournaled inthe casing and projecting thereinto between the plunger andtoothed Wheel, and projecting parts on said measuring-Wheel adapted toengage a projecting part of the arm to release the detent thereof fromthe teeth of thetoothed Wheel and to thereafter engage one of the teethof said Wheel to rotatev the latter one step, and a spring bearingagainst said arm to hold the detent of the plunger normally engaged withthe toothed Wheel.

l2. A rotary measuring device, comprising a casing, a toothed wheeljournaled therein,

a dial on the casing, a pointer connected With the toothed Wheel andcoperating With the dial, a reciprocating plunger in said casing at oneside of the toothed Wheel provided at one end with a detent adapted toengage the teeth of said toothed Wheel and at itsv other end with alaterally-directed arm, a rotary measuring-wheel journaled in the casingand projecting thereinto between the plunger and toothed Wheel, andprojecting parts on said measuring-Wheel adapted to engage a projectingpart of the arm to release the detent thereof from the teeth of thetoothed Wheel and to thereafter engage one of the teeth of said Wheel torotate the latter one step, a spring bearing against the arm to hold thedetent of the plunger normally engaged with the toothed Wheel, and meansindependent of the measuring-wheel for lifting said plunger against theaction of said spring.

13. A rotary measuring device, comprising a casing, a toothed Wheeljournaled therein, a dial on the casing, a pointer connected with theWheel and cooperating With the dial, a reciprocating plunger in thecasing provided with a detent adapted to interlock with the teeth ofsaid toothed Wheel, a rotary measuring-Wheel journaled in the casing andproj ecting thereinto, between said toothed Wheel and plunger,projecting parts on said measuring-Wheel adapted to engage said plungerto release the detent from the toothed Wheel and thereafter rotate saidtoothed wheel one step, and a spring-pressed lever pivoted in the casingand having at one end a fingerpiece projecting through a slot in thecasingwall and adapted to engage at its other end a projection on saidplunger to release the detent from the toothed Wheel, said lever beingprovided with fiat extensions which cover the slot in the casing throughwhich said iinger-piece passes.

14. The combination with a rotative toothed Wheel, a spring-pressedplunger at the side IOD IOS

thereof and parallel With the plane of the-` ger will be rst raised tofree the detent of the toothed wheel and said toothed Wheel thereafterrotated.

l5; The combination with a rotative toothed wheel, a spring-pressedplunger at theside thereof and parallel with the plane of the wheel, adetent on the plunger adapted to interlock With the teeth of said wheel,an actuating-Wheel having its periphery located between the toothedwheel and plunger, a laterally-directed arm on the plunger opposite thedetent on said plunger and located at the margin of the tooth-wheel andprojections on the actuating-wheel adapted to engage said arm to raisethe plunger to release the detent from the toothed Wheel, and thereafterrotate said Wheel.

1G. A measuring device comprising a frame or casing,a rotary graduatedmeasuring-wheel journaled in the casing and projecting therefrom forcontact with the article to be measured, a dial on the casing, a pointercoperating with said dial and associated with mechanism having astep-loy-step movement,means for locking said pointer from movelnent ineither direction after each step of its movement and means on themeasuring-Wheel for first eifecting the release of said locking meansand thereafter positively engaging said pointer mechanism to move thepointer one step, said measuring-Wheel being at other times operativelyfree from said pointer mechanism.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I affix mysignature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 6th day of May, A. D.

JOHN F. STEOKENREITER. Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, GERTRUDE BRYCE.

